Wife says actor held on drug charges is innocent

The wife of an Indian actor arrested on drug charges said yesterday her husband was "clean" and she was hopeful of his release soon.

"I just do not know how to react. I am upset and do not know what to do," said Krishna Raaz, wife of Vijay Raaz. The actor, arrested for possessing narcotics last week, is currently in jail in Abu Dhabi.

A sobbing Krishna told Gulf News from Mumbai that she is hopeful of her husband's release. "He is a clean man. I cannot talk anymore on this subject," Krishna said.

The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi was in close touch with the actor, a close friend of the Raaz family said. "It's a relief that Vijay now has lawyers to look into his case ... I was quite shocked by reports in a section of the UAE media that quoted embassy officials saying police have confirmed that Vijay was caught with drugs. But the Indian mission was wrongly quoted," the friend said.

Vijay was in UAE for the shooting of the Hindi film Diwane Hue Paagal, directed by Vikram Bhatt.